Welcome to the Week... What I Learned in the Waiting Room...

As many of you know, I am a passionate runner. Over the past year, I’ve been dealing with a persistent injury called posterior tibial tendonitis. Despite the pain, I continued to push myself, until one early morning last November, I was at my track workout with my Run Progressive team, and I found myself on the sidelines with a bag of ice.

Another runner approached me, asking about my leg. After wondering why he was asking such technical questions, I came to learn that this individual would soon become my new physical therapist, marking the beginning of my recovery journey. For the past seven months, I’ve been working tirelessly to regain my strength and return to running. My ultimate goal is to run until I’m 100, and I am committed to this lifelong pursuit.

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This experience led me this week to a seemingly unrelated link to what we work on, on an almost daily basis at Fitlife Foods. The intersection of hospitality, design, and the product or experience we offer.

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Recently, I had an appointment with a physician related to my injury. The practice is housed in a beautiful building right off the interstate. However, upon my arrival, I was informed, “The doctor is running an hour behind.”

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No one had called me ahead of time. There was no apology. There was no effort to recover the situation or make me feel valued. When I suggested grabbing lunch while waiting, I was told, “I’m sorry sir, if you are checked in, you are not permitted to leave. You will be checked out of your appointment if you leave.”

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This experience made me reflect on the importance of hospitality in any business and think about the actual and the proverbial “waiting room in life.” I am committed to my recovery, even if it takes another few months, because my long-term goal is to continue running for the next 636 months. The product—the medical expertise—is there. However, the lack of hospitality detracted from the overall experience.

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The easy thing in the moment was to be frustrated and leave, but the “waiting room” for my injury and not waiting in this waiting room would ultimately cost me a longer road to recovery. Like my injury, I waited. I used my time to write this week’s welcome to the week. I used my time to walk around the “waiting room” as sitting for an hour is not something that a runner likes to do!

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Hospitality is not just a nicety; it is a crucial element that can build a strong culture, enhance a mediocre product, or conversely, destroy a good one.

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Reflecting on my experience with the physician, it’s clear that their lack of hospitality left a significant impact. They could have:

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?? Called me to inform me about the delay.

?? Apologized sincerely.

?? Gone above and beyond and offered me a choice of a Fitlife Foods meal ??. (Now that would have been next level!)

?Instead, they offered excuses about the “doctor’s thoroughness,” which felt more like a justification for overbooking patients to maximize revenue.

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This reinforced a few things for me:

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1.? ?Patience:?I kept my cool and did not just leave because of the hour delay as this could have both delayed my outcome and cost more time to achieve that outcome.

2.?? Always teach about a culture of hospitality.?Show empathy and do all you can to make the experience the best it can possibly be. Sometimes delays are unavoidable, but how you react to them for your customers is more important.

3.? ?Design Can't Mask Mediocrity.?No matter how good your product is (table stakes) and design is (depending on your experience, it either adds value, detracts value, or is value neutral), don’t make your customers pay ridiculous prices for good design - have it be the value add and ensure good design isn’t just covering up a mediocre product and poor hospitality. I’ve been to more new restaurants than I can count that are beautifully designed with fair hospitality and a fair product.

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Take a moment to reflect on your own experiences. What interactions stand out to you when you become the observer of the consumer experience, positively or negatively? How can these experiences make us better professionals?

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At Fitlife Foods, let’s commit to embracing hospitality in all we do. Let’s ensure our customers feel valued, heard, and cared for. This week, think about how you can incorporate this mindset. Small gestures can make a big difference, and together, we can create exceptional experiences for everyone we serve.

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Here’s to a week filled with thoughtful hospitality and continuous improvement.

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Go Feed Your Journey!

David